Years, months, weeks, days
by StrangelyInnocent
Summary: In the wake of destruction, John finds something he never expected. Set post Fall, so spoilers character death,along the way, please read and review! bit of language every now'n'again... enjoy! I don't own anything! Problems with seeing chapters now fine
1. Chapter 1

**5 years, 8 months, 2 weeks**

It's over.

He's gone.

Forever.

Not even the great Sherlock Holmes can defy death.

Although, for once John wishes that the man falling truly was as invincible as he seemed.

Gone.


	2. Chapter 2

**5 years, 8 months, 1 week, 3 days.**

The evening after the memorial service, Molly arrives at their, no, HIS, flat. He doesn't know how it happens, but they end up in bed together.

He supposes it was inevitable, both grieving, emotions running high.

After they are both spent, they cry.

They comfort each other, knowing that the other also loved the one lost a great deal.

He loved Sherlock in a way that the best of friends do.

Molly loved Sherlock unconditionally.

He awakes to find her in his arms, and despite everything, he realises it is not an unpleasant finding. Extracting himself from her, he makes his way to the kitchen in order to make them both some breakfast.

As he moves through the doorway, he looks out onto all the experiments. Experiments that will never be finished, the results never analysed.

And he breaks down again, this time, he cries for everything that Sherlock will never do, everything that he did, and everything that he didn't.

He slides down the doorframe, pre-empting the collapse of his legs.

It is in this position that Molly finds him. So she sits next to him, and weeps silently.

After nearly an hour, John breaks the silence.

"I just can't believe he's really gone"

"I don't think anyone can" is all she replies. Unable to put her words into feelings, she takes his hand in hers, and hopes that he understands that she is there for him.

She knows that Sherlock's death hit the doctor worse than nearly everybody else, Mrs Hudson and, not that he would ever admit it, Mycroft excluded.

So she makes it her mission to help him through, in anyway possible.


	3. Chapter 3

**5 years, 6 months, 4 days**

He knows something is wrong the minute she steps into the flat.

He sees her almost everyday now, they talk, cry, laugh, fuck.

Somehow, having someone to go through it all with, has helped both of them.

But today is different.

She tells him to sit down on the sofa.

He begins to panic, She's going away, but no, she can't, he has begun to rely on her. Her presence has become one of the few things stopping him from slipping away.

So when she hands it to him, he almost cries with relief.

She isn't going to leave him.

* * *

><p>As she hands him the test, she can see a flash of confusion across his face. He laughs, and so does she.<p>

She laughs at the absurdity of the situation. She is going to have the baby of the best friend of the man she used to love.

And its then that she realises, that she has moved on.

* * *

><p>He doesn't know what to say, so he simply hugs her and tells her that everything will be all right.<p>

But what she says next, surprises him more than anything else.

"I'll go away if you want" he frowns, and she notices, "John, I know you aren't over Sherlock's death" he flinches, she notices and frowns, "But its been two months now, and this is real. I need to know…"

She doesn't even need to finish, as before the sentence is complete, his mouth claims hers, kissing her gently, reassuring her that he will stand by her, through thick or thin.

He doesn't quite understand what he feels towards her, it certainly isn't love, but there is something.

And in his opinion, bringing a baby up on something, is better than nothing at all.


	4. Chapter 4

**5 years, 3 months, 1 week, 3 days**

He walks up the stairs on his way home from his shift at the hospital. And he smiles when he sees her flopped on the sofa, hands resting on her protruding abdomen, eyes shut, dreaming.

The flat looks cleaner now, the experiments have gone, real food is in the fridge, books are where they belong on the shelves. But they have managed to keep the essence of the flat. No major redecorating has been done. The skull still has it's pride of place on the mantle piece, Sherlock's violin in a glass display cabinet, generously donated by Mycroft.

He feels they have done a good job, given the circumstances.

Whilst he knows he will never stop missing his flatmate and best friend, he has come to a point at which he feels more or less comfortable, and that will do for now.

Placing his coat on the coat stand, and keys in the bowl, he moves over to her and places a light kiss on her forehead.

She moved in a month ago, it seemed like the most sensible arrangement, what with the baby and everything.

She shares his bed, knowing that the room belonging to his previous flatmate has not been touched.

He smiles again as he remembers when they told everybody.

_He had gathered them in a room altogether, that way he would have to repeat himself over and over, even Mycroft had turned up._

_"Me and Molly are going to have a baby"_

_A round of congratulations spread, John looked to Mycroft, who raised an eyebrow in response, but offered his congratulations all the same._

He's not sure when it started, but little by little he feels himself falling in love with the woman sleeping on the sofa. And he feels guilty, guilty that he should have found love in wake of Sherlock's death, but almost immediately that feeling is replaced by the knowledge that Sherlock wouldn't have wanted either of them to mope, or be upset.

So instead they make do with the odd situation that they are in, and they cope, thanks to each other.


	5. Chapter 5

**5 years, 1 week, 2 days**

She realises that something has changed in him. And she smiles as she realises that she too, has been falling in love.

Lestrade offered him a job, despite the fact that he didn't have the correct qualifications, and she knows that he enjoys it.

She realises that that was exactly what he needed, another small string to attach him to the days before the death of his best friend, and she is glad of it.

The change in his personality is even clearer to her as he walks into their flat after another case.

"Hello dear" _Dear_, the first time he has called her that she notes.

She smiles in response, knowing that her two boys are safe once again.


	6. Chapter 6

**4 years, 11 months, 1 week, 5 days.**

He receives the call as he is filling in paper work.

When the call finishes, he rushes into Lestrade's office.

"It's Molly…..the baby is on it's way, I have to go"

Lestrade smiles and waves at him to go. And he goes.

He rushes out of the building, jumps into the nearest cab and counts the seconds until he can be by her side.

* * *

><p>As his son takes is first breath, he, for the first time since the funeral, feels content with his life.<p>

He is handed his son and a single tear escapes. He realises that it is all terribly cliché, and chuckles as he thinks of what Sherlock would say if he could see him now.

* * *

><p>He watches contentedly from the chair beside her bed. She is asleep now, exhausted from bringing their child into the world.<p>

He knows that tomorrow the visitors will begin to arrive, once they have returned home, but for now, he relaxes, and takes it all in.

The never discussed names, having wanted to wait and see what fit, but now as he looks at the tiny life he helped create, he knows exactly what his son will be called, Edward Sherlock Gregory Watson.

He doubts she will have any objection to it, Gregory being the name of her brother, and Edward her father.

A knock on the door snaps him out of his day dreaming.

Lestrade is at the door, ready to be the first one to see the child.

"I'm sorry, its just I'm on my lunch break and I couldn't resist coming to have a look!"

John assures him that it's fine.

"Well, he is a cute one!"

John couldn't agree more.

"What's the little tyke's name then?"

"Edward Sherlock Gregory Watson"

Lestrade smiles knowingly, "I think he would have liked that you know."

"Yes, I do believe he would."


	7. Chapter 7

**4 years, 8 months, 2 weeks**

He's already rung Lestrade saying he wont be in today, and his boss was understanding.

Today was going to be a hard day for them all.


	8. Chapter 8

**4 years, 7 months, 3 weeks, 1 day**

Somehow they have managed to get into some sort of routine.

She's happy, if a little tired.

He's as happy as he's been since that day.

Edward Sherlock Gregory Watson lies sleeping in his cot, whilst his parents eat their dinner.

John knows the moment has come, and that it is time to make things right.

He gets up and suddenly the small box in his pocket weighs a ton, but the load is lightened as he knows that he wants this.

He gets down on one knee, smiling at the reaction on her face.

"Molly Hooper, my savior…"

"Yes!"

He chuckles, slides the ring onto her finger and kisses her sweetly. The ring isn't much, it was all he could afford on a forensic pathologist's wages, but it suited her. And he was happy.

Almost immediately she gets out her phone and rings his sister.

"HE PROPOSED!" she exclaims,

"About bloody time too" John hears his sister say.

The two had become firm friends in the aftermath of that day.

He sits down to finish his meal, knowing she may be a while.


	9. Chapter 9

**4 years, 5 months, 1 week, 4 days.**

He knows, even as he contemplates the idea, that he is seeing things.

He knows that however much he wishes it could be true, it can't.

So as he shakes his head, trying to rid himself of the sill little notion, he attempts to forget about what he saw, _no_, what the _though_t he saw.


	10. Chapter 10

**4 years, 2 months, 2 weeks, 1 day**

His eyes bulged out at the sight of Mycroft perched on a chair by the fire place. It certainly was an unexpected visit.

Some where in the back of his mind he wonders if it is to do with what he thinks he saw a few months ago, and quick as a flash he rids him self of the thought.

"Mycroft, what a pleasant surprise, to what do we owe the pleasure?" he asks, not even bothering to ask how Mycroft came to be in their flat, despite the fact that Molly is at her mother's house, and the door was locked.

"Just a house call, I'd hoped I could see the little boy, it has been such a long time."

_Well make a bloody effort then_. John thinks to himself.

"He's with Molly, at her mum's for the day"

"Hmmm…shame" Mycroft says in a tone that suggests to John that he actually came to talk about something else.

Breaking the silence that follows, John offers him a cup of tea, which he accepted politely.

So they sit opposite each other. Drinking their tea.

John wonders what is going on in that Holmsian mind of his, and as with Sherlock, he suspects he will never know.


	11. Chapter 11

**4 years, 1 month, 2 weeks, 3 days**

It is a simple wedding.

Nothing too lavish or over the top.

She wears a plain dress with a long train, and she looks so beautiful that it nearly moves him to tears as he sees her walking towards him.

He knows in his heart that this is right.

His eyes catch those of his sister in the front row, with his son on her knee, and he realises that he truly has a family who love him.

Greg is his best man, he had considered asking Mycroft, but he suspected the man would have turned it down.

But at least he had come to the wedding.

* * *

><p>After who knows how many congratulations, he steals himself away from the hubbub of the reception, and moves to stand outside.<p>

Out of the corner of his eye he sees the silhouette of a man, hurrying away lit only by the dim of the street lamps.

And if he had not know him to be dead, John would have sworn it was Sherlock.

He dismisses it, and turns to go back inside and accept another deluge of hugs and kisses.


	12. Chapter 12

**3 years, 11 months, 1 week, 5 days**

The day his son turns one, John hosts a small party at 221b.

A few colleagues, friends and family.

He hears his son's first word _dada_, and sees his son take his first teetering step, and he can't help but wish Sherlock was here to see.

And to John's surprise, Mycroft turns up.

He wonders why he is surprised, Mycroft seems determined to be a part of Ed's life.

John knows he means well, and so greets him with the ease of old friends.

He supposes that is what they are.

In the wake of the accident, how could they be anything else?


	13. Chapter 13

**3 years, 8 months, 2 weeks**

Everybody tell him that it gets easier.

He knows, as he looks at the bottom of yet another glass, that they are wrong.

He never forgets, and never stops wishing things had been different.

So as he leaves the bar and returns home to his wife and child, and sees the sweep of a coat round the corner ahead, he knows that things aren't different and that his best friend is gone.

He sighs.


	14. Chapter 14

**3 years, 4 months, 3 weeks, 1 day**

As his life settles into a mundane cycle of work and family, John finds himself pining for something more exciting.

The serial killers of London were taking a break, leaving him with very little to do.

He sits on his sofa at home and looks at the violin case, and raises his glass.


	15. Chapter 15

**3 years, 2 months, 1 week, 2 days**

He never forgets how lucky he is to have the family he does.

So as he opens the door after a long day at the office, and sees his wife asleep on the chair, their son, curled up along side her, he smiles because he knows.

When she wakes, she tells him that he is going to be a father for the second time, and he realises that if he thought he was happy then, now, he is loved.

He hopes he has a daughter, although he knows in his heart of hearts, that he will love the child no matter what.

He wonders if this is how every parent feels.

He's not sure how the thought got into is head, but he wonders, had the accident not happened, would either him or Sherlock have ever got married, and settled down.

_Not to each other of course_. He suspects, that eventually he would, and Sherlock, not known for his subtlety or great love of children would have gone either way. Rather like a marmite.


	16. Chapter 16

**3 years, 1 month, 2 weeks, 3 days**

John drives through the countryside, glad to be away from the city for even a small amount of time.

As he stops at a red light, he glances over to his wife in the passenger seat, she's worrying, he can tell.

"He will be fine love" he reassures her,

"I know, but that doesn't stop me worrying"

Their son is currently at her mothers house, whilst they take the weekend away for their anniversary.

She still worries, she knows her mother is perfectly capable.

But she supposes it is every mother's instinct to want to be near her young.

She smiles as she places her hand on her stomach, and is grateful for the tiny life growing inside her.

Sensing her husband looking at her, she meets his gaze, and is astonished by the love that they hold, a love that she knows is mirrored in her own eyes.

She had been wary when she first realised she had fallen in love with John Watson. Worrying that he may think that she was using him as a stand-in for Sherlock. She hopes that she's shown him that could never be the case.

Her relief was so overwhelming when he first admitted that he had been falling in love with her that she cried herself to sleep that night in his arms. Although she thinks it may have had something to do with being 8 months pregnant and having some crazy hormones.

What started off as a casual fuck 2 or 3 times a week had turned into so much more.

And she knows she wouldn't have it any other way.


	17. Chapter 17

**2 years, 11 months, 1 week, 5 days**

Their son's second birthday is a slightly bigger affair.

Not only are their families here, and Mycroft as John suspected he would be, but also some other expectant mothers, and their elder offspring.

He doesn't even try to remember all of their names, but he knows that Molly is happy, and as a result, he is happy.

The small church hall they have hired out for the purpose is filled with screaming, hyperactive 2 and 3 year olds, weaving in and out of the soft play things, in that unsteady run that they all have at that age.

Ed is having a great time, John can tell. He is currently trying to build a tower out of misshapen bricks, under the watchful eye of Mark Lestrade, Greg's 5 year old.

John smiles as his son looks up and catches his eyes, a large cheesy grin spreading over his face. So John wasn't surprised when 30 seconds later, he felt his son barrelling into his leg.

John picks him up.

"Happy Birthday Ed" he smiles.

"My Birthday, My Birthday dada"

"Yes son it is, do you want me to put you down so you can go and play with your friends?"

"Please dada"

So John puts him down.


	18. Chapter 18

**2 years, 8 months, 2 weeks**

After three years, he expects it to have got easier.

But as he watches the clock flip to 00:00, he knows that once again he is going to face a day where he is haunted by memories of Sherlock.


	19. Chapter 19

**2 years, 5 months, 2 weeks, 1 day**

Lydia Mary Chloe Watson, is named for John's Aunt Mary, Holly's sister Chloe, and Lydia…. Just because she looks like one.

John had thought, after holding his son for the first time, that he could never be happier.

But he knows, as he is handed his daughter, that he was wrong.


	20. Chapter 20

**2 years, 1 month, 2 weeks, 3 days**

The day his daughter is taken away from him, is one of the worst days of John's life.

Returning home from the hospital, they are broken.

Neither knows what to say.

* * *

><p>That night, for the first time in many many years, John prays.<p>

He isn't sure what to believe, but he prays that his daughter will be safe, that maybe she will meet Sherlock, wherever the dead go.

He doesn't know, but his wife is listening.

She hears his final words before he drifts off to sleep beside her.

"Look after her won't you?"


	21. Chapter 21

**1 year, 11 months, 1 week, 5 days**

On his Son's third birthday, they go to a farm.

John enjoys himself, and can tell that both his son and wife enjoyed themselves too.

It was good for Molly to have some fun.

John hears her cry at night for their little daughter, taken away from them cruelly, unexpectedly.

She is so strong on the outside, but falling apart inside.

So that night, instead of falling asleep, John holds her whilst she cries.

He holds her until she falls asleep in his arms, reassuring her that he is still here.

He looks down at his sleeping wife, and his heart almost bursts with love.

She is so brave, braver than he ever is.


	22. Chapter 22

**1 year, 8 months, 2 weeks**

It has become somewhat a tradition.

Molly takes Ed out, round to her mum's for the day, to give him space.

He is in the flat alone.

And so, for old time's sake he reads over his case files, shocking himself when he laughs, despite the situation.


	23. Chapter 23

**1 year, 1 month, 2 weeks, 3 days**

For once, everything is normal.

John sighs contentedly, knowing that his family is safe.


	24. Chapter 24

**11 months, 1 week, 5 days**

John thinks he's hearing things.

As if to prove him wrong, his four year old son says it again.

"Edward is a boring name, I want to be called Sherlock, that's much more."

John freezes, unsure of what to say.

The bell rings with almost impeccable timing.

Ed rushes to the door in order to greet the first guest to his little get together for his birthday, and lets out an audible "Ohhhhhhh" when he opens the door to realise it isn't one of his friends.

"Hello Uncle Mycroft"

John's head snaps up from the paper he is reading, silently begging his son not to repeat the conversation they had just had.

"Hello, Edwa….."

"MY NAME IS NOT EDWARD…" Ed screams.

"Well, please to inform me of what you have changed it to, so I can correct the name in this card." Mycroft smiles,

Ed looks pointedly at his father, as if to dare him to interrupt.

"Ed, don't do this now, please" John begs, as he tenses up, knowing full well that his son will do what ever he pleases, and not knowing how the elder Holmes brother will react.

"My name is not Edward anymore, my name is Sherlock." and with that, the boy storms off to his bedroom, undoubtedly to play with one of the many presents John, Molly and Mrs Hudson gave him earlier.

John prepares himself.

"Well…" Mycroft pauses, as if contemplating how to word his next sentence so as not to offend… "that was certainly… interesting"

"But what on earth possessed you to talk about my brother in such a way that would make your son wish to emulate him?" Mycroft's voice was steadily rising in volume.

John is incredulous. "You think I did this?"

"Well I fail to see where else he would have picked it up from."

"You honestly think that I would? After everything have been through, do you honestly believe that I would encourage my son to take the name?"

"Seemingly yes."

"Mycroft, I don't understand, I never meant this to happen. Do you think I enjoy hearing my son claiming his name is Sherlock anymore than you do? Because it may interest you to know this, but you weren't the only one to care about him, you know? Sherlock was my friend, we shared a flat for several years, do you seriously think I want to have another Sherlock here again? And be reminded every day of what happened? Because no, I don't." John shocks himself with the force of his words.

Suddenly it is clear to John. Mycroft misses him too, and hearing his brother's name was too much.

It is the most emotion John has ever seen Mycroft show.


	25. Chapter 25

**8 months, 2 weeks**

Another year has passed, but John still hadn't found closure, and he's beginning to think he never will.

Molly takes the kids out for the day, he feels bad.

But he sits down on his favourite chair, pours himself a large glass of whisky, and turns on the crap t.v he knew Sherlock loved, however much the detective had tried to deny it.


	26. Chapter 26

**5 months, 1 week, 1 day**

He receives reports from a few of his friends who also have children in Ed's year a primary school, that his son is still insisting on being called Sherlock.

John hopes it is a phase, one he will grow out of.

* * *

><p>John decides, on the way home from picking his son up from school, that maybe he ought to tell him about Sherlock.<p>

His son has a right to know why everyone flinches when he insists on being called Sherlock, Why Uncle Mycroft doesn't visit anymore.

* * *

><p>So John does that. He sits down with his son, who he knows is probably a bit too young and will probably forget everything.<p>

He explains how he used to work with Sherlock, how if it wasn't for Sherlock, Daddy wouldn't have met Mummy, how Sherlock is gone.

Ed listens, not really understanding.

He asks only one question, "Is Mr. Sherlock in the same place as Lydia now?"

John nods his head sadly.


	27. Chapter 27

**1 month, 2 weeks, 3 days**

After years of having seen nothing, John thinks he sees him again.

He knows he must be wrong, it's been many years since the accident, and nothing gets any easier.

He also knows he's not doing himself, or his family any favours by imagining things.


	28. Chapter 28

**2 weeks**

The "Sightings", as he comes to call them, are becoming ever more frequent.

Someone with the same curly hair.

The person getting off the train with the same coat.

A glimpse of a face, that at second glance looks nothing like him


	29. Chapter 29

**1 week**

Molly knows there is something wrong.

She doesn't say, but she knows.

She suddenly realises that despite all this time and assurances of the contrary, her husband blames himself for the death of Sherlock Holmes.


	30. Chapter 30

**1 day**

Ed Watson is happy.

His Dad just told him another story about the amazing detective Mr Sherlock Holmes.

In his mind, young as it may be, he is determined to become a detective too.


	31. Chapter 31

**0**

This time he's sure.

In fact he's so sure, he calls out.

He calls out and stops in the middle of the road.

He doesn't see it coming.

But that doesn't stop it.


	32. Epilogue

****_A/N: And so we have reached the end! Hope you all liked it! Any and all comments are appreciated, good or bad! i may end up writing a few one shots, following Ed through his life, but I'm not currently sure!_

_Thank you for sticking through till the end!_

_Until next time,_

_StrangelyInnocent_

* * *

><p><strong><span>Epilogue<span>**

He stands watch.

Making sure he is not seen.

The funeral is not a small one, John had been a well loved man.

At the front, John's wife and son along with Mrs Hudson, Mycroft and Harry.

He is almost surprised that Mycroft turned up.

After the eulogy has been delivered, telling everybody of the greatest man and friend who had ever lived, he slinks away, unable to watch anymore, and wholeheartedly blaming himself for what happened, if only he had been more careful, he should never have let John see him.

He sits down on a bench in the far corner of the graveyard.

Suddenly he sees a small boy wondering towards him.

Edward Sherlock Gregory Watson, more commonly know as Sherlock.

"Are you Sherlock Holmes?" had the boy not been John's son, Sherlock would have been surprised at the directness of the question, but the boy had clearly inherited his father's ability to get straight to the point.

"Yes I am, but you must tell no one you saw me ok?"

The young boy nods in agreement.

"My daddy told me all about you."

Sherlock was intrigued.

"He told me you are an angel now, like Lydia. If you see daddy up there, can you tell him I miss him?"

Sherlock nearly looses all resolve there and then.

"I want to be a detective when I'm older"

This, Sherlock is surprised at.

Suddenly their conversation is interrupted by a loud shout of " SHERLOCK?"

They both look up and see Molly Watson, standing with her mouth open.

Her son goes running off back to her.

Sherlock Holmes, stands up, tips his hat to her, and slinks into the shadows, from where he continues to work until the day he dies.

And in such the way that John Watson blamed himself for the death of Sherlock Holmes, Sherlock Holmes blamed himself for the death of Doctor John Watson.


	33. Small AN

_Small A/N on the subject of continuity with the series,(i've had some q's as to where this fits)_

_I wrote this, only knowing the ACD canon version of The Reichenbach Fall and a few spoilers I had seen here and there, so to clear up a few things,_

_In this story, and in any others that directly continue on from this, Molly doesn't know of Sherlock's survival._

_Also, contrary to the Canon ACD version, neither does Mycroft._

_I'm not going to reveal my theories about how Sherlock, in context of the t.v series, managed to escape, as these will undoubtedly form the basis of any future fics relating to this one! (and given Mark and Steven's ability to completelythrow us off the scent, my theories will probably be proven to be complete and utter rubbish!)_

_Hope that has cleared up some stuff, and also hope that everyone enjoyed the episode last night (how you could not have, I don't know) and isn't to emotionally drained, I know I am!_

_(oh and for those of you who don't have the wonder that is twitter this is what Mark wrote last night "_Gotcha! And of course there'll be a third series! It was commissioned at the same time as series two!" _Steven followed not seconas later with a very similar statement, so damn those two for making us panic!)_


End file.
